Tesla is giving foodservice a try with the opening of charging stations that offer food and beverages around the clock for owners of its electric vehicles.
The owners-only lounges are intended to provide drivers and passengers with an opportunity to eat while they wait for Tesla cars to charge at a bank of high-speed Superchargers. Two of the lounges are currently open, in Kettleman City and Baker, Calif, according to a report on a website for Tesla fans called Teslarati.
A children’s climbing wall, a place to walk dogs and a shop selling Tesla-branded wear are also provided.
The Teslarati report indicates that the ready-to-eat selections will consist of food and craft beverages. A photo shows a coffee station and a self-service bar tap in the background.
Tesla owners can enter the facility at any time, using a push-pad code that’s beamed to their dashboard information console when they get close to the facility.
A Tesla executive said at the FSTEC conference earlier this year that the car and technology company was likely to include foodservice at its freestanding charging stations as those facilities grow larger in new iterations. However, he indicated that the most likely option was to partner with experienced restaurant operators. The new facilities, identified on Tesla’s map to charging stations, are identified just as 24H Lounge, and feature Tesla branding.
Most Tesla charging stops are located on the pads of restaurants and hotels as a service to guests. Tesla is building a network of refueling stops to support sales of the vehicles.
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